Marine general Tony Zinni was known as the "Warrior Diplomat" during his nearly forty years of service. As a soldier, his credentials were impeccable, whether leading troops in Vietnam, commanding hair-raising rescue operations in Somalia, or -- as Commander in Chief of CENTCOM -- directing strikes against Iraq and Al Qaeda. As peacemaker, he made his mark conducting dangerous troubleshooting missions all over Africa, Asia, and Europe. While serving as Secretary of State Colin Powell's special envoy to the Middle East, disagreements over the 2003 Iraqi war and its probable aftermath caused him to resign.

In Battle Ready, he is candid, thoughtful and blunt about both the good and the bad. Battle Ready follows the evolution of General Zinni and the Marine Corps, from the cauldron of Vietnam through the operational revolution of the '70s and '80s, to the new realities of the post-Cold War, post-9/11 military.

This is an in-depth view to a man, an institution, and a way of war and peace, making this an instant classic of military history.